Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IMPROVEMENTS TO MODULAR BUILDINGS AND MATERIALS
USED IN THEIR CONSTRUCTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improved modular buildings and to methods of
constructing modular buildings, particularly those which are suited to
withstand
earthquakes and high winds.
Additionally, the invention relates to structural elements fox use in the
construction of modular buildings and particularly to panels and wall sections
for
such buildings. The invention further relates to materials for use in the
construction of the buildings.
Background to the Invention
The humanitarian and economic impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes
and extreme adverse weather conditions such as high winds is becoming of
increasing concern to many nations, the recent devastation in Central America
being a particular example. Apart from the damage caused to structures, such
as
bridges and buildings being extremely expensive to repair, the danger to human
life brought about by the collapse of such structures means that stronger
materials
and better methods of construction are increasingly being used.
Unfortunately, however, many of the areas frequently affected by natural
disasters
are often poor and the costs of materials and improved construction is usually
prohibitive. Furthermore, the quantity of raw materials necessary to produce
the
volume of housing required, could cause a negative impact on the environment,
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firstly due to the depletion of the raw materials and secondly due to the
method of
production of the final material which method can be energy intensive.
Moreover,
a primary consideration following a large scale disaster is that any new
buildings
erected, should be erected as rapidly ~as possible. Again, with conventional
materials of construction this is not usually done as rapidly as desired,
which
increases the misery and suffering of the victims. It is also worthy of
consideration that, following a large disaster, there will most likely be
insufficient
skilled labour available to carry out the construction required. There is
therefore a
need for the rapid deployment of the means to facilitate the construction of
buildings which can be constructed using predominantly unskilled labour.
A further and more general problem when constructing a large number of
buildings is the provision, at the constnzction site of the elements needed to
carry
out the building work. This includes, typically, not just brick, steel, sand
or wood
for example, but also the means for producing concrete, mortar and correctly
forming walls, window frames to the correct size. Such preparation of
materials
requires a great deal of time which is not always desirable either from an
economic or a humanitarian standpoint. Furthermore, commonly used materials,
particularly steel and wood are prone to degradation such as rusting or rot.
Wood
also can be subject to insect and mould attack which reduces its mechanical
strength.
It is therefore desirable to develop new materials from which the
constructional
elements of a house such as the walls and roof can be made. Such new materials
must be durable and also able to withstand extremes of wind and temperature.
It is an object of the present invention to provide low cost and easily
constructable
modular housing which is capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions or
even earthquakes.
It is a further object of the invention to utilise available materials to
provide
composite materials for use in the construction of modular housing which can
be
produced at minimal impact to the environment.
It is a yet further object of the invention to provide constructional elements
which
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can be rapidly formed and deployed when constructing a building.
Summary of the Invention
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a
modular
building comprising:
a foundation floor having secured therein a plurality of anchor elements;
a plurality of wall-retaining track' elements adapted to engage wall panels
of the building, the track elements being securable to the foundation floor
so as to define the position of at least the load bearing walls of the
building;
wall panels locatable with respect to the track elements, each panel
including at least one channel or duct formed therein parallel to a
longitudinal axis thereof and at least one channel or duct formed therein
disposed perpendicularly to and laterally of the longitudinal axis; and
a plurality of securing members adapted to pass through and locatable
within said channels or ducts, the securing members being anchored at
each end thereof so as to maintain the panels in fixed relationship to one
another.
The building further comprises a roof structure formed from a plurality of
roof
panels, each panel including at least one channel or duct formed therein
parallel to
the longitudinal axis thereof and at least one channel or duct formed therein
disposed perpendicularly to and laterally of the longitudinal axis.
The roof panels are secured to a roof beam utilising a plurality of securing
members which are adapted to pass through and be locatable within said
channels
or ducts, the securing members being anchored at each end thereof so as to
secure
the panels in fixed relationship to one another and the roof beam.
Advantageously, the security members comprise rods or cables having high
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tensile strength characteristics while maintaining flexibility.
In one arrangement the securing members include a threaded sleeve element at
orie or both ends thereof for receiving a securing Bolt. The securing members
comprise glass-fibre strands bonded together with the strands in parallel
alignment. Additionally, the securing members are coated with a plastics
material
such as polypropylene to increase abrasion resistance.
The securing members axe positioned and tensioned so as to form a net-like
structure to resist panel movement.
The wall-retaining members are conveniently bondable to the foundation floor
by
means of a mastic sealant. The or each tracking member may additionally be
secured by means of one or more connection bolts.
The wall panels advantageously comprise grooves to receive the securing
members. The v~all panels may additionally comprise one or more ducts or
channels to receive electric wires or a plumbing system. The wall panels may
additionally comprise apertures to receive floor and window cartridge units. A
sealant may be provided between adjacent wall panels to give increased
strength
and water resistance.
A building as so formed is highly wind resistant, and the materials from which
it
is formed are resistant to for example heat, rain, mildew and insects.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a construction
element such as a wall or roof panel for a modular building, the construction
element comprising a composite material utilising silica cenospheres and a
resin.
The wall or roof panels have bonded to and across at least part of its
surface, a
second composite material, the second composite material comprising a number
of layers; including a first inner nylon layer and a 'second outer nylon
layer, a
glass fibre mat layer between the first and second nylon layers; and a polymer
resin distributed between the nylon layers to bond the nylon layers together.
The thickness of the nylon layers is preferably between 17-2lpm, so that the
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nylon layers neither tears too easily during processing nor distorts during
processing. A value of 19~m has been found to be particularly preferable.
The resin is preferably present at a level of 30-50% w/w of the second
composite
material and particularly preferably at a level of 20% w/w. The resin can be
selected from one or more of the following classes of polymeric compounds,
polyester, polyurethane, polyacrylic, polyphenolic, polybromophenolic,
polyvinylester or an epoxy resin, or mixtures thereof.
A fire retardant material is preferably included between the nylon layers. The
fire
retardant material is preferably aluminium trioxide which can absorb heat
well,
and disperse the path of a flame or heat through the second composite
material.
The aluminium trioxide is advantageously present at a level of 1 S-50% w/w
with
respect to the resin. The level is preferably from 30-40% w/w, and
particularly
preferably approximately 35% w/w. Optionally, the fire retardant material can
comprise glass flakes. In a further alternative, a fire retardant chemical
such as
polyhalogenated phenols, for example bromophenols can be included.
The second composite material advantageously includes a glass-tissue layer
having a density of 14-30g/mZ, to reduce uneven features being introduced to
the
surface of the second composite material.
The second composite material includes a colouring agent such as titanium
dioxide to improve its appearance. The surface of the second composite
material
can be altered by means of an electric current passed across the surface, the
surface structure then being enabled to receive, for example, paint or
varnish.
There is also provided a method of constructing a building comprising the
steps
of
preparing a ground area on which the building is to stand to receive a
foundation floor;
forming a foundation floor having secured therein a plurality of anchor
elements;
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securing wall-retaining members to the foundation floor over said anchor
elements, to define the location of load bearing walls;
attaching elongate security members to the anchor elements;
locating wall panels, having one or more security member receiving
channels, with respect to the wall-retaining members;
securing wall panels by threading the flexible securing members through
the wall panels;
tensioning said securing members; and
locl~ing the securing members to attenuate movement.
Advantageously the method further comprises the step of disposing mastic
sealant
between the wall-retaining members and the foundation floor.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention will now be described nnore particularly with reference to the
accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, one embodiment
of modular building according to the invention. In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a detailed cross-sectional side elevation through a foundation
.floor;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation through a foundation floor to
which
there is secured a wall-retainng member;
Figure 3 is a schematic top plan view of three panels joined to form a wall;
Figure 4 is a detailed section top plan view of the panel junction shown in
Figure
3;
Figure 5 is a vertical section talcen through a wall panel sitting in a wall-
retaining
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member and secured to the foundation floor by a cable;
Figure 6 is a vertical section taken through a top wall-retainer and wall
panel;
Figure 7 shows a vertical section taken through a central wall panel and
connected
to a ridge beam;
Figure 8 shows a vertical section taken through an outside wall and connected
to a
roof panel;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a wall panel;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a roof panel with a tile effect outer
surface; and
Figure 11 is a sectional side elevation taken through a roof panel along B-B
of
Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a section through a bobbin;
Figure 13 is front elevation of a bobbin;
Figure 14 is a rear elevation of a bobbin;
Figure 15 is a sectional elevation of a bobbin, the section being at xight
angles to
that shown in Figure 12;
Figure 16 is a section through a collet;
Figure 18 is an expanded sectional view of part of a collet shown in Figure
16;
Figure 18a shows a part of the collet shown in Figure 16;
Figure 19 illustrates the entry of a collet into a bobbin when securing a
cable;
Figure 20 is a detailed section taken through a wall panel along A-A of Figure
9;
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and
Figure 21 is an illustration of production of a skin for a wall panel.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Referring initially to Figure 1, the concrete foundation slab 10, has secured
therein
a vertical rod 11 to provide an anchor for securing cables. The vertical rod
11 is
attached at a lower end to a ground anchor 12.
Figure 2 shows a wall retaining member 20, secured to a foundation slab 21 by
a
connection bolt 22. A layer of mastic 23 forms a waterproof sealant between
the
wall retaining member 20 and the foundation slab 21. Figure 3 shows the wall
panels 30, 31, 32 fixed in position on the wall retaining member 33 to form
part of
an outer wall 34 and an internal wall 35. The panels abut a box beam 36. In
Figure 4, the horizontal cables 40, 41 can be seen in more detail. In use,
these
cables anchor the wall panels 42, 43, 44 in position. Vertical cables 50 are
held in
position at the anchor point 51. The anchor point 51 is attached to the
vertical rod
52 which is set into the concrete of the foundation slab 53 as shown in Figure
5.
Figure 6 shows the top of the wall panel 60 with a top wall track 61 fixed
into
position. The top wall track 61 is fixed into position by means of a
connecting bolt
62 secured and tensioned by a vertical flexible fibre cable 63. Where the wall
panel is to be part of the central wall of the building, an additional ridge
beam 70
may also be secured into position as shown in Figure 7.
Figure 8 illustrates a joint between a wall panel 80 and a roof panel 81. A
top
wall track 82 is fitted to the top of the wall panel 80, and secured in
position by a
connection bolt 83, attached to securing cable 84. The roof panel 81 is
secured by
means of a horizontal fibre cable 85, and further horizontal cables 86.
The roof panel 81 incorporates a built-in gutter 87 which is connected to a
piping
system leading to a storage tank (not illustrated). The rain-water collected
by this
gutter and piping system can be employed for non-potable uses such as watering
crops. Once the roof panel 81 and piping system is in place, a soffit panel 88
and
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fascia panels may be positioned in place.
A wall panel 90, suitable for use in assembling the above buildings as shown
in
Figure 9. The ~ wall panel 90 is generally rectangular cuboidal in shape. It
comprises grooves 91A, 91B which in use receive vertical fibre cables. The
wall
panel 90 also comprises apertures 92A, 92B, 92C leading into internal panels
across the width of the wall panel to receive horizontal securing cables 93A,
93B,
93 C.
Figures 10 and 11 show a roof panel 110 having a tile-effect outer surface.
The
roof panel 110 comprises an inner core 111 formed from the same composite
rilaterial as is used for the wall panel 90. The roof panel 110 comprises a
number
of channels 112 within the inner core 111 to receive horizontal securing
cables
113.
Figures 12 - 15 show a bobbin 130 used to secure the flexible cables in
position.
The bobbin 130 comprises an outer wall 131 defining a cable-receiving cavity
132. One end of the cable-receiving cavity 132 is tapered. The angle of taper
with
respect to the longitudinal axis of the bobbin 130 being 15 degrees.
Figure 16 shows a collet 170, which in use fits within the tapered portion of
the
cavity 132. The collet 170 has an outer sheath 171 surrounding an inner core
172.
The inner core 172 has a substantially V-shaped cross-section. The outer
surface
of the inner core 172 has a stepped configuration enabling it to grip the
outer
sheath 171. The angle subtended by the inner walls of the inner core 172 is
15°.
The angle subtended by the walls of the outer sheath 171 is 30°.
The inner surface of the collet 170, as shown in Figures 18 and 18a also has a
stepped configuration to enable it to grip the securing cables. Figure 19
illustrates
the interaction between the collet I70 and the cable 200, as the collet 170 is
moved in the direction shown by arrow A. As the collet 170 is inserted in to
the
bobbin 130 the collet portions are squeezed together to grip the cable 200.
In use, once the collet and bobbin are in position around the cable, the
bobbin 130
is twisted which causes the cable to be gripped more tightly thus securing the
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cables and retaining the wall or roof panels in position. When used in this
manner
collet and bobbin act as a connecting bolt.
When constructing a building as described above, the ground is first prepared
to a
suitable state to receive the building. A concrete foundation slab is formed
by
pouring into place a cementatious material. Vertical rods which have been
placed
in the concrete at distances of approximately 1.3m from one another along the
eventual position of the perimeter and centre wall provide connections at the
bottom for the connection to ground anchors, and at the top of the finished
concrete foundation slab for connection to the vertical flexible fibre cable
system.
Wall-retaining members having a U-shaped cross-section for the perimeter and
centre walls are positioned onto the foundation slab. A bed of mastic sealant
is
added between the wall retaining member and the foundation slab in order to
improve the water proofing properties and a connection bolt used to secure the
wall-retaining members to the floor slab. At the intersection of the rear and
centre
walls, wall panels are set in place in a T-configuration. A vertical box beam
is
attached at the centre of the T junction and horizontal flexible fibre cables
are
threaded through the wall panels. As each wall panel is put into place a
vertical
flexible fibre cable is connected at the floor and threaded through an
alignment
tube pushed into a vertical grove in the edge of the wall panel. The alignment
tube
has dimensions of approximately Scm by Scm.
The horizontal flexible fibre cables are tensioned and locked using a cable
clamp,
thus holding each wall panel precisely in position. The procedure is continued
until all the wall panels including any door frames 'and window wall panels
are in
place and tensioned.
When all the wall panels are in position, a top wall-retainer is put on top of
each
wall. Additionally, a ridge beam is placed on top of the centre wall. The
vertical
flexible fibre cables are then tensioned and locked using a cable clamp. The
structure is ready to receive roof panels.
Starting from one end of the building a first roof panel is set onto the wall
and
ridge beam. Horizontal flexible fibre cables are threaded through the roof
panel
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and attached in position. A spacer tube is placed into the grooved edge of the
roof
panel and a sealant applied. The next roof panel is slid into place and the
flexible
fibre cables tensioned and locked. Any excess sealant is squeezed out between
the
joint between the two- roof panels and can be simply removed. The sealant is
normally the same colour as the panel to give an impression of there being no
joints present. The roof panels are subsequently anchored to the foundation
slab
and to the ground anchors.
Door and window cartridge units are then snapped into position in the
appropriate
apertures within the wall and wall panels and secured.
As described, the building is easy to construct as many of the individual
elements
are pre-formed and need only to be fitted together. The building is also
structurally reinforced with a comprehensive network of cables throughout the
entire structure which are anchored to the ground through a concrete slab
foundation. In this manner the buildings are able to withstand even hurricane
force winds. In addition, the construction and materials from which the wall
panels are formed mean that the building as a whole has superior thermal and
sound insulation. In addition it is also resistant to mildew and insect
damage, as
well as being extremely fire resistant. Furthermore the building does not
require a
great deal of maintenance and is durable and long lasting.
The glass beads from which the core material for the wall panels is made can
be
formed from recycled glass thus reducing the environmental load of materials
used in the construction of the building.
In a further embodiment, not illustrated, the ground anchors and vertical rods
are
not required, and the wall panels are secured to the floor by passing the
securing
members through the hollow tubes within the foundation floor. The fibre cables
can be flexible or stiff according to the use to which they are put
Due to the modular nature of the buildings, the individual elements can be
transported from one central location to the required site and because of the
flat
nature of the wall panels, the materials needed for the building can occupy a
small
space within the particular vehicle being used for transportation. Moreover,
once
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the materials have reached the proposed location of the building, the building
can
be assembled using a relatively unskilled workforce which again assists the
rapid
construction of the building, particularly useful following a natural
disaster.
A composite material, which is suitable for use in the construction of
building is
formed as follows. A bonding material, often referred to as bonding slip, is
prepared by the dissolution of water glass (sodium silicate) in water, until
the
water glass solution has a sodium oxide content of 40°f° w/w. A
blowing agent,
sodium nitrate (6% w/w of the water glass concentration) is dissolved in the
water
glass solution and the solution produced thereby, heated to a temperature of
80C.
The solution is maintained at 80C for a period of time in order to allow
excess
water to evaporate. Care must be talcen that the temperature does not greatly
exceed 80C as this leads to the water vapour being removed too quickly, and to
decomposition of the sodium nitrate. Water is removed until the sodium
silicate/sodium nitrate-containing solution has a viscosity of from 1.5 - 2.0
poise.
Silica powder, having an average particle size of 300p. - with 60% of the
particles
having a particle size of from 270 - 330p, - is fed onto a granulating tray.
The
particle size of the silica powder is important. Too high a percentage of
fines
requires, in subsequent steps, more filler resin and can also clog up the
mixer.
Too high a percentage of coarse material reduces the production of
cenospheres.
The bonding slip - i.e. the above described solution of water glass and sodium
nitrate - is sprayed onto the silica powder through an oscillating arm
positioned
above the granulating tray. When the correct amount of bonding slip has been
added the glass powder begins to form an agglomerate with the bonding slip and
the surface tension within the agglomerate forms it into small beads. As the
bonding slip interacts with the silica powder the viscosity of the fluid
gradually
increases. The particles of the silica powder gradually increase in size
primarily
due to hydration, reaching about 400-SOOp.. When the viscosity of the fluid is
high enough, (approximated to the viscosity of putty or plasticise) the
agglomerate is extruded through holes in the granulating tray and cut into pre
blown granules.
The pre-blown granules then enter a rotating kiln heated to a temperature of
750C,
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the rotary action of the rotary kiln forming the pre-blown granules into
spherical
beads. When, due to the heating action of the rotary kiln, the beads reach a
temperature of approximately 650C the sodium nitrate begins to decompose
producing a gas (NOY). The pressure of the gas forms the internal volume of
the
beads into a foam like structure, which structure is maintained upon drying
the
bead, forming what is often referred to as a cenosphere.
Using the above process, cenospheres of different sizes may be produced by
employing different sized meshes during extrusion of the pellets. Typical
values
for the size of the cenospheres are O.Smm-8.Omm. During the drying process,
care should be taken that the temperature in the kiln does not exceed 8000, as
the
sodium nitrate consequently decomposes too quickly. The temperature of the
kiln
should also be above 700C in order that the cenospheres formed axe of a
satisfactory quality. As an alternative or as an additional blowing agent to
sodium
nitrate, soda/urea/hydrogen peroxide or soda lye/manganese IV oxide/sugar or a
suitable mixture thereof can be used.
Wall and roof panels, having a composite structure and which can be used, for
example, in the construction of housing are produced as follows. Cenospheres
formed of an expanded silica and produced by the above process are mixed with
an epoxy resin monomer bonding material. The size distribution of the silica
cenospheres is a ratio from, by weight, of 3:2:1 for beads having a particle
size of
2:1: ~ O.Smm. The distribution of sizes enables an efficient close packing of
the
cenospheres, within the eventually formed panel and requires the minimal
amount
of resin. The close packing moreover contributes to the strength of the panel
and
reduces possible warping during polymerisation of the resin monomer and during
use. A typical value for the weight ratio of silica cenospheres to resin is
95:5.
As the density of the beads is 0.7-0.8g/cm3 and that of the resin is far
denser, often
in the region of l.lg/cm3, care must be taken that the viscosity of the resin
is
sufficiently high in order to slow down the rate at which the beads float to
the top
of the resin. When the cenospheres and the resin monomer have been thoroughly
mixed together, a polymerisation catalyst, hexamine, at a level of 5-6% w/w of
the
resin monomer is added. Once the mixture has reached a viscosity of 30-50
poise,
preferably 40 poise, the mixture is poured into a mould to cure and harden.
The
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temperature at which the curing process takes place is ambient temperature.
The
mould can include a number of PVC tubes which pass through the body of
eventually formed block: The tubes result in the presence of channels through
the
block, which channels facilitate the passage of cables used during the
construction
of a building.
In order to assist the maintenance of an even distribution of the cenospheres
throughout the resin, the mould has vibrating means to vibrate the mixture.
Typically the vibrating means are located 1/3 and 2/3 of the way along the
length
of the mould. A vacuum pump can be used to draw the mixture down the mould
and reduce any residual air pockets. After curing, which typically requires
about
an hour, the hardened core material is removed from the mould.
As an alternative, or, where applicable, in combination with the polyester
monomer above, a vinyl ester or an unsaturated polyester can be used. Vinyl
esters are preferred as they improve the fire resistance characteristics of
the
material produced. The catalyst for the vinyl ester or unsaturated polyester
polymerisation is methylethyl ketone peroxide (MEI~P). The MEKP is normally
used at a level of 2% w/w of the resin monomer. The MEKP can be absorbed
onto a support such as bentonite, or other clay material. When using
bentonite,
the catalyst is mixed in more slowly than is normally the case in order to
reduce
damage to the bentonite particles. During the polymerisation process,
ultrasound
is used to break apart the bentonite and release the MEI~P into the mixture
which
commences polymerisation. By absorbing the catalyst therefore, the onset of
polymerisation can be delayed.
As shown in Figure 20 a wall panel 210 comprises a central core 211. The
central
core 211 is a composite material comprising expanded glass beads bound
together
by a polyester resin. The wall panel 210 further comprises a skin 212, and a
channel 213 along which a cable can pass. The skin is also a composite
material
comprising 35% v/v aluminium oxide trihydrate and approximately 65% v/v
polymeric resin.
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Alternatively, the core material is formed by pouring the precursor mixture of
resin monomer into a forming tray. Once polymerisation has taken place, the
block of core material thus formed is cut up to the appropriate size. The
outer
skin is then bonded to the core material using a bonding paste.
As an alternative to using the above resins, the resin may be selected from
one or
more of the following classes of polymeric compounds, polyurethane,
polyacrylic,
polyphenolic, polybromophenolic, polyvinylester or an epoxy resin.
Wall panels for use in, for example, the construction of a building are formed
as
follows. An inner core material, for example a composite form from resin bound
glass beads is shaped in the form of a rectangular block or other desired
shape. In
order to improve the aesthetic, constructional and safety characteristics of
the
block, a skin is overlaid on one or both of the in use inner and outer
surfaces of
the block. The skin is often formed separately from the block and bonded
subsequently to the block.
The slcin is formed as follows, with reference to Figure 21. A moving bed 220
of
a skin forming machine, moves at approximately walking pace. A nylon sheet
221 is unfurled from a roller 222 and laid flat onto the bed 220. As the bed
220
moves, a resin dispenser 223 dispenses resin - in respect of which the nylon
sheet
221 is impermeable - onto the surface of the sheet 221. A glass fibre mat 224
is
unfurled from the roller 225 and overlaid over the nylon sheet 221. The glass
fibre mat 224 incorporates chopped glass strands and is permeable to the
applied
resin. A further nylon sheet 226 is unfurled from a roller 227 and overlaid
over
the glass fibre mat 224 to form a layered pre-sheet. The layered pre-sheet
passes
through the compression rollers 228 which compress the layers together and
ensure that the resin is spread out sufficiently to bond the sheets 221, 224,
226
together. Overall, the resin is present in the finished skin at a level of 15-
30%
w/w, although a level of 20% w/w has been found to be ideal. The sheet then
passes to a curing region in which the resin is polymerised, bonding the
sheets
together to form a uniform structure. The skin produced thereby can be either
cut
into lengths or rolled up and transported or stored.
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The nylon sheets 221,226 employed are between 17-21~ in thickness, although
the thickness of 19p. has been found to give optimum performance. Above 19p.,
the nylon sheets can distort, particularly during rolling and curing, which
gives the
skin a poor profile.
The method of polymerisation used depends upon the resin used to bond the
sheets together, but is typically either achieved through the use of heat or
by
irradiation with ultra-violet radiation. The length of the curing
(polymerisation)
station is typically approximately 12m, to enable the temperature and/or
radiation
level to be set to give the optimum polymerisation.
In addition to the layers described above; a number of the other features can
also
be included. A gel coat incorporating a colouring agent can be incorporated. A
gel coat can be distributed over the nylon sheet 221, prior to the addition of
the
bonding resin from the resin dispenser 223. The colouring agent is added as
part
of the gel coat and can be, for example, titanium dioxide, which in the
finished
sheet imparts a white colour to the skin and eventually to the finished panel.
A further sheet of glass tissue (having a density of 14-30g/m2) may also be,
during
the production, overlaid onto the nylon mat 121. The glass tissue minimises
the
risk of surface features from the individual sheets being imparted to the
finally
produced skin.
A fire-retardant filler can also be included in the skin, by the incorporation
of a
fire-retardant material into the resin dispenser 223. One example of a fire-
retardant material is aluminium oxide, having a mean particle size of less
than
0.25p, and ideally a mean particle size of less than 10p,. The smaller size
enables
the fire-retardant material to pack more efficiently. The aluminium oxide fire-
retardant material is typically present at a level of 15-50% w/w of the resin.
A
level of 30-40%. has been found to be particularly suitable, and 35% w/w
especially suitable. The level should be sufficient to impart adequate fire
retardant properties to the slcin produced. However, above a level of 50% w/w
the
aluminium oxide causes the viscosity of the resin to be too high.
CA 02406141 2002-10-18
WO 01/79619 PCT/GBO1/01750
-17-
As an alternative, or in addition to aluminium oxide, a number of other fire
retardant materials can be used. For example glass flake can be used.
Chemicals,
which are at least partially soluble in the resin can also be employed such as
polyhalogenafed phenols, for example polybromophenols.
The glass fibre mat 224 can be obtained either incorporating pre-chopped
strands
or with the strands in tact. In the latter case, the mat 224 ideally first
undergoes a
chopping process which breaks the strands into small pieces. A typical density
for
the glass fibre mat 224 is from 280-320g/m2. A value of approximately 300g/m2
has been found to be particularly beneficial, imparting some rigidity into the
finished skin.
The finished slcin can be added, by the use of a suitable resin both to a pre-
formed
composite block or other suitable core material. Alternatively, the skin can
be
incorporated into a mould in which a block has been formed, in which case the
core material can bond directly to the skin during the core materials
production.
The skin can also be corona treated, whereby an electric current is passed
across
its outer surface. ' A corona treatment modifies the overall structure of the
outer
surface and enables the surface to receive, for example, paint or varnish.
The wall panel formed by the above process is highly durable and resistant to
attack by water, fire and insects such as termites common to those areas which
also suffer from extreme weather conditions.
It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the
specific
details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that
various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the
appended claims.
